And me—armed with nothing but my two short swords.
Broad at the base, mid-length, their edges honed sharp yet built sturdy enough to take punishment. Jet boots strapped on, armor locked tight—thick iron plates that weighed me down but gave me a fighting chance.
Not that I earned them clean.
No, these weren't gifts. I lifted them from Victor's shop. If he knew about me entering into the hunting grounds in the COSMOS sector. He would've never allowed it—too cautious, too bound by safety over gain. But me? I chase the gain over anything.Always. Even if it kills me.
Ten copperhorn from ten copperhorn boars. That's what I walked into. A full herd.
I didn't know their hunting pattern in detail. Just scraps of rumor, half-baked guesses. Definitely not prepared for the worst. Because if I let the thought of "worst" crawl in, it would swallow me whole before the first horn struck.
The first boar charged.
I aimed straight for its eye—perfect kill shot.
But it swerved at the last second, a blur of muscle and metal-hard hide.
The second one slammed into me from behind.
I hit the dirt hard, air ripped out of my lungs—before another copperhorn boar rammed me across the field like a goddamn football. One after another, they piled into me, their horns ringing against my armor until I skidded across the earth, grinding to a halt.
I looked down. Armor dented. Plates split. One more direct hit and I wouldn't be standing.
I staggered up on shaking legs, blades slipping in my grip. The herd pawed the dirt, ready for round two.
But there—one detail, one crack of hope.
Their attack rhythm, their unity—it broke. Their formation scattered.
And that was my opening.
And I thought beasts were just brainless creatures.
That was my mistake.
But I won't make the same mistake twice.
I powered up the jet boots, thrusters whining as heat shimmered beneath me. The first copperhorn boar charged again—maybe thinking I'd fall for the same trick. This time, I launched straight at it, driving myself like a spear into its eyes.
A shriek tore through the clearing. The beast staggered, thrashing, rolling in the dirt, smashing its own body against the ground in blind pain.
Another boar roared and came thundering at me. I slid sideways with the jet boots, sparks flying across the stone, then vaulted over its head. My blade plunged down—piercing both eyes.
It screamed, blinded, yet didn't stop. It swung its head, relying on its hearing, and rammed into me. The impact threw me to the ground, air bursting from my lungs.
That's when it hit me.
They weren't mindless. They weren't stupid.
They were adapting.
I cursed, forcing myself to stand. I had no choice—no other tactic left to survive.
So I repeated it. Again and again.
Every boar that charged, I blinded. Every set of eyes, I destroyed. They screamed, bleeding, their cries echoing in the night like tortured metal. One by one, they fell, thrashing until the pain killed them. Ten copperhorn boars, slaughtered the same way.
And with each kill—
[ SYSTEM: Defeated "Copperhorn Boar." Reward: +100 Black Essence Units ]
Windows kept popping up.
[ SYSTEM: Defeated "Copperhorn Boar." Reward: +100 Black Essence Units ]
[ SYSTEM: Defeated "Copperhorn Boar." Reward: +100 Black Essence Units ]
[ SYSTEM: Defeated "Copperhorn Boar." Reward: +100 Black Essence Units ]
One after another. Ten kills, ten windows.
A thousand Black Essence in total.
And the battlefield? Nothing but blood, shattered tusks, and silence.
The mission window blinked before me:
[Mission Completed]
Unlock 1st Petal of black lotus? – Yes/No
"Definitely yes," I muttered, hitting yes without hesitation.
Another prompt emerged:
[All Black Essence Units will be consumed. Confirm? Yes/No]
I irritated and sighed. If I'm not sure, then what the hell was the point of all this? My finger slammed on yes.
At once, the corpses of the Copperhorn Boars exhaled black fumes. Ten streams of darkness twisted upward, writhing like serpents before plunging straight into me. My chest burned, my skin crawled, and I finally understood—this was Black Essence.
It surged inside me, coiling around every vein, every nerve, until it swallowed me whole. And then—gone.
Another window flashed:
[1st Petal of Black Lotus Unlocked]
Activate? – Yes/No
I grinned. That's why I fought. That's why I bled.
"Yes."
The moment I confirmed, my world shattered.
My vision drained of color. Everything—sky, earth, blood, even my own hands—bled into a single spectrum of black, grey, and white.
I stared at my fingers; they looked hollow, like they belonged to a shadow.
"What the fuck is this…?" I whispered.
Heart hammering, I spat out the command, "Status. Open."
And window popped up before my monochrome eyes—
which is only colored and I saw
[ Combat Stat ]
[ Offensive Power ]
[ Defensive Power ]
[ Essence & Ability Growth ]
And I chose Essence and Ability Growth because I don't have the patience to check all other stat taking my own time.
And I saw—
[SYSTEM: Essence Absorption rate: 0.02 BEU/s]
[Lotus Synchronisation: 4.16%]
[ Ability Unlocked — Void Eyes]
Curious, I touched the ability.
[Void Eyes: The ability to perceive the flow of Black Essence in all living and non-living things. Reveals vital points and structural weaknesses.]
I almost whistled.
"Holy shit… Seeing Black Essence is one thing—but vital spots? That's pure cheating."
But before I could revel in it, the surroundings around me trembled. Twigs snapped. Leaves rustled. A chorus of guttural squeals echoed.
The noise grew louder. Heavier.
When I turned, my eyes widened.
Nearly thirty Copper Horn Boars emerged from the mist—each one glowing in dull, light grey shades. Their thick necks and armored shoulders looked terrifying… but with my Void Eyes, every single one of them carried a faint, burning mark.
Right at the gap between their neck and front leg—their vital point.
[SYSTEM: Bonus: Copper horn boar meat ×10
Suprise Bonus — +10 points in all Combat Stats for unlocking 1st Petal of Black Lotus]
My blood boiled in excitement. I clenched my fists, a savage grin spreading on my face.
"So this is it, huh? The real hunt begins now."
I cracked my neck and stepped forward.
"What's next? Let's harvest more Black Essence."